nanoHUB tools will be briefly unavailable due to scheduled host maintenance on Sunday, October 1st, 2017 between the hours of 7:00 am ET and 17:00 pm ET. All tool sessions will be expired. We apologize for any inconvenience. close

The interaction of deposited metals with monolayer films is critical to the emerging arena of molecular electronics. We present the results of a thorough study of the interaction of vapor-deposited Au and Ag on alkane films attached to Si substrates.

This presentation is part of a collection of presentations describing the projects, people, and capabilities enhanced by research performed in the Birck Center, and a look at plans for the upcoming year.

This presentation is part of a collection of presentations describing the projects, people, and capabilities enhanced by research performed in the Birck Center, and a look at plans for the upcoming year.

Current research concerning self-assembled monolayers (SAM) focuses on the fabrication of microelectronics utilizing a semiconductor/molecule/metal junction. This study seeks to investigate various experimental techniques for creation of organic monolayers by surface analysis techniques including fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The monolayers were formed by electrochemical reduction of diazonium salts on Si(111) and solution self-assembly of thiols on GaAs(100), with and without ammonium hydroxide immersion. FTIR results validate the effectiveness of solution self-assembly using ammonium hydroxide immersion, but indicate incomplete monolayer formation when using reduction of diazonium salts. FTIR further indicates the effectiveness of indirect contacting of GaAs with Au using an Ar backfield. XPS results quantified the amount of sample oxidization at the surface. Furthermore, XPS also verified elemental composition in these samples.

Carbon nanotubes are being researched extensively for their unique conductive properties. Controlled growth of vertical single-walled carbon nanotubes, however, has not yet been possible. This presentation reports a way to synthesize vertical single-walled carbon nanotubes that can be used for device integration. It also describes a method to establish contact to the carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes are created using a modified form of a porous anodic alumina template with an iron catalyst layer incorporated into the pore cell walls. Microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition is then used to generate the carbon nanotubes. Palladium is used in an electrodeposition process in order to establish top and bottom contacts to the carbon nanotubes. A titanium layer is deposited beneath the anodized film and acts as a working electrode, allowing palladium nanowires to form and contact the carbon nanotubes at the bottom. Continued deposition yields palladium nanoclusters which contact the top of the carbon nanotube. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) is run on several different locations of the template. Using the information it provides, CV curves are created. These curves taken are then compared. Information that is useful is then extracted from these curves in order to determine how to control the deposition of the nanoclusters that form on the top of the carbon nanotubes.